Vox VT20+ Amp Review

Hey guys,

Recently I purchased a Vox VT20+ amp on a trip to Japan, and while it was a pain to find an adaptor for it, I ended up really liking this amp. Honestly it might not be everyone’s’ cup of tea, but it certainly was for me.  This amp is has the lowest wattage from the entire Vox series, so if you need a higher than 20 (20+) watt amp, they are available in this line.

First let me say I really like the look of this amp. It has a classic kind of look that I just love, and it helps that it is very portable. Moving onto the all-important tone, I have to say that it did everything from a clean tone to a heavily distorted tone WELL. The reason I say well, is because it has a very slightly muddled distorted tone, but it you won’t find that a big problem. The clean tone was also good (not as good as certain Fender amps though). But in the end I loved it because it is tonally versatile. Most amps do one thing well and lack the other.

It is great value for money, as you can pick one up for around $140. At that price I was sold because I wanted this amp to just fiddle around at home. For small gigs I recommend the VT40+ or even higher if you need to. But for home playing, the 20-watt amp is sufficient as it also has a knob to adjust the wattage. It can even go to 30 watts, hence the model name 20+. That was a feature I ended up using a lot.

Speaking of features, it has a wide variety of features, which was why I even considered it in the first place. The features include 33amp models, a whole bunch of different effects, tuner, a 3.5mm headphone jack and so on. It has so many features to change the sound that to this day, three weeks after I got it, I’m still discovering some cool new sounds. Also the 5 or so preset sounds that you configure were very useful.

So check it out. Try the different tones. I like the amp and I think you will too.

I will post a picture of my new home setup soon on Google+. That’s it guys and I hope you liked this review of the Vox VT20+.

Cheers,

Visal.

How to Spice Up Your Rhythm

Hey guys,

Have you ever wondered what the difference between you and a professional rhythm guitarist was? What do they have that adds that subtle hint of flavor to there already beautiful playing? I'm here to help you reach that stage all by yourself.

When you play your same old chords, it gets boring at some point. Thats where you have to switch up to some new chords. This lesson will help you spice up your old and common chords with suspended chords and altered chord notes.

I'm not going to be diving in deep about what these suspended chords are, but I'll teach you how to play a few shapes and help you experiment with them yourself. As you would have guessed this is not a very theoretical lesson in order to help beginners or otherwise alike. That's when it gets fun.

Suspended Chords Made Easy 

One way of playing A major suspended or Asus, is playing the open A major with a B note instead of the C#. Dsus can be played in the open position with an open high E instead of an F#. By playing these chords you would realize two things. One is that these chords sound similar to the origin chord with an added bit of flavor. Two is that these two suspended chords are open chords minus one fingered note. That fingered note usually is transferred to an open note though on occasion that changes to form different suspended chords.

Using that logic try and take any chord (minor or major) and remove a fingered note from the chord to an open note. Thus this method has a lot to do with trial and error.

If you want to move the shapes higher up the neck, take the notes of the suspended chord and find them higher up. A problem that can arise is that the shapes can be rather awkward. Like I said, trial and error.

Altering Notes Within a Chord

Another neat trick I wanted to teach you is altering the notes of your standard open chords in a different fashion from suspended chords. Take the G major open chord for example. It is made up of G, B, D notes. My personal preference is that I like the chord with only the G, D notes (it is still a G major chord). For that purpose I mute the B note on the A string and also add the D note on the B string to eliminate all B notes. I love the way it sounds without the B. You could do the same WITHOUT changing the standard notes that make up the chord. Otherwise you might end up with a different chord entirely.

Experiment with these ideas. It's a load of fun. You can even ude these ideas for original songs much like I do.

Cheers guys,

Visal.

Btw I'm sorry I haven't posted a lesson in a while :)

Guitar Fun Fact of the day!

Julio Iglesias was a promising footballer, however, was in a horrible car accident. Three years of paralysis (except arms), Julio led to the guitar. Thanks to them Iglesias became a famous musician.

Great Budget Guitars Worth their Price

Hey guys,

Before I begin, I want to share with you guys some really cool stuff I found online. I found this really great music producing software and a drum beat maker. The link for the drum beat maker and the link for the music software are on the right. It's really worth a look because it's not at all expensive but worthwhile. They are two great finds.

Many beginners who want to buy an electric guitar, often start up with a guitar pack. They come with a guitar, amp, strap, picks and maybe a few others goodies like a tuner. The Squier and Yamaha packs are cheap but good ones. But after a few months or years of practice, you might get a little bored with them.

So for those of you who need an upgrade but at a somewhat strict budget, I made this post to help you pick out your perfect budget guitar for a price of about 250 pounds or $420. The guitars I’m about to show are roughly $420 but some may be a bit more or a bit less.

I’m not doing detailed reviews on them but I’m giving a small description, which gives you the basic knowledge about each guitar and their tone.

Lets see our contenders!!

-       -Squier 50’s classic vibe Stratocaster

-       -Yamaha Pacifica 112V

-       -ESP LTD EC50

-       -Epiphone Les Paul Studio

-       -Ibanez RGR321EX

-      - Jackson JS32T Dinky

Squier 50’s Classic Vibe Stratocaster

It’s got a pretty good finish and a slightly thicker neck. It’s not a ‘C’ shaped neck but is a bit of a handful. The single coil pickups make it give out very bright tone good for funk, blues, classic rock but not ideal for hard rock or metal.

Yamaha Pacifica 112V

This comes with two single coils and a humbucker, giving you a variety of different tones from a shimmering single coil to a meaty hum-less tone. It is a great Yamaha guitar even without considering it’s low price.

ESP LTD EC50

It has a nice shape and comes with two good humbuckers giving a much warmer tone. It is very much suited to rock and metal. The pickups are really powerful! Can’t forget to mention that it has a great costruction.

Epiphone Les Paul Studio

Great tone. Very fat sounding. It is below the Gibson les Paul obviously but a very nice rock-ish sound, which I personally like.

Ibanez RGR321EX

It’s got a very slim and fast neck with two heavy humbuckers. It’s almost made for shredding. The pickups are really great.

Jackson JS32T Dinky

Slim neck, two good humbuckers make this a really worthwhile guitar. The coil tapping feature is also available which gives a wide variety of tones. Great shred tone. Very heavy.

I can never pick the best guitar for you. I have my personal favorite but you have got to check all guitars and select what is best for you and your needs. Hope you liked this post. Cheers,

Visal.

My personal favorite is the ESP.

Guitar Fun Fact of the Day,

You can tune your guitar to the sound of a dial tone, because it's an A.

How to Create a Pinch Harmonic

Hey guys,

Most of the guitarists I’ve come across over the years happen to be players who prefer the rock genre. So today’s lesson is for those rock guitarists and also for the metal guitarists out there. I’m going to teach you how to create a pinch harmonic.

What is a pinch harmonic?

You must not have heard the name ‘pinch harmonics’ (also called squealies) but you surely would have heard one. They are the sharp screeching sounds you get from a guitar, which are artificial harmonics. Now natural harmonics don’t occur everywhere, but these artificial harmonics or pinch harmonics can be created pretty much at any fret of any string (but the pinch harmonics on the 1^st and 2^nd string are slightly harder to get). These are like natural harmonics but much more powerful and give a quintessentially rock/metal screeching sound (in a good way). It is a technique used by so many famous guitarists like Dimebag Darrell, Mark Tremonti, John Petrucci etc.

Dimebag Darrell

Pinch harmonics sound good with heavy vibrato.

Now that you know what it is, surely you must want to try it out. It might take a while to get down properly, but trust me; it’s worth the effort. Also note that pinch harmonics are easier to obtain from the 3^rd and 4^th strings from the frets where natural harmonics are already present. Also it is easier while using the bridge pickup.

HOW TO GET A PINCH HARMONIC

Hold down the 7^th fret of the 3^rd or 4^th string (it’s a good spot to start from, as it is easier to get the pinch harmonic due to the presence of a natural harmonic too).

Keep your thumb lower on the pick (slightly) than usual. The reason for this is that you don’t pick the note to get the pinch harmonic. You have to perform a kind of digging motion on the string to get it. The reason for using a digging motion is because for a pinch harmonic to be created, your thumb must SLIGHTLY touch the string quickly after you pick it. But if you touch the string with your thumb too hard, you might mute it completely.

The amount of pressure you need when touching the string with you thumb varies with the string. More pressure is needed for the 6^th string and the pressure needed lessens as you move to the thinner strings.

Also, the place on the string where you do the digging motion is important. In some places the pinch harmonic cannot be created. And also the pitch and sound of the pinch harmonic varies with the place on the string you do the motion. Thus you can add different sounds to your music through different harmonics. Also the word ‘digging motion’ is slightly exaggerated. A SMALL digging like motion is sufficient.

AN EASY WAY TO PRACTICE GETTING PINCH HARMONICS

It’s almost impossible to get the pinch harmonic technique mastered on the first few days of learning it. The biggest problem for learners is the amount of pressure needed when touching the string with your thumb. The reason is that it varies with string. So an easy way to learn the amount of pressure needed is to pick a note (start with the seventh fret of 3^rd or 4^th string) and while it rings, touch it with your thumb with different pressures. So if you get a small pinch harmonic, you can tell the exact amount of pressure needed. Since you take time between the pick and the touch, the pinch won’t sound too good or loud. So after you learn the amount of pressure needed, try to do it in one proper motion. Also remember, when doing the earlier mentioned exercise, do the digging motion at different places, as pinch harmonics don’t occur everywhere. It might take a while to master. Patience is key here.

Hope you liked the lesson, Cheers guys,

Visal.

How to Change Strings on an Electric Guitar

Hi guys,

Isn’t it really annoying to take your guitar/guitars almost monthly to your guitar store just to get your strings changed? Trust me when I say I’ve been there years before. So let’s change that. I want to help those of you who don’t know how perform a string change today with this lesson. Today I’m going to teach you how to change your guitar strings in a variety of guitars. It’s actually a simple process. Without waiting any further, let’s dive right in.

SOME GENERAL TIPS TO REMEMBER WHILE STRINGING ANY GUITAR

-       -Be careful when opening the new string set because it might bend a bit while handling it, which sometimes causes a buzz with the frets. Also beware that it might cause a big injury if it pricks you in the eye.

-       -As I mentioned in the previous lesson, after actually installing the strings and tuning, BE SURE TO pull on each string (directly off the fret board to avoid damaging the nut) so that the tune drops. Then tune it back. Do this a few times till the tune stays the same after you pull on it.

-       -When removing strings, remove them one at a time and install the new string and tune before moving on to the next strings. The reason is that removing all the strings before installing the new strings causes a drop in tension, which affects the truss rod and also the bridge.

-       -Also a useful tip is to color in the groove in the nut where the string touches the nut with a pencil. This prevents the string from sticking to the nut. But don’t color too hard leaving crystals of graphite which causes buzz.

-       -Also a common problem is the number of winds you need to leave on the tuning pegs. I say approximately 2-4 complete turns around the tuning peg is a good mark.

-       -Also don’t forget to cut of the remaining portion of the string near the tuning peg with a plier to avoid injury.

FENDER TYPE GUITARS

Not all Fenders are of this type but majorities are. Also, many other brands and models are of this type. You can identify if your guitar is of this type if when you look the back of the guitar, you see a small cavity like thing which is partially covered with a plastic cover with six small holes in a row. Like in the picture below.

GIBSON TYPE GUITARS

Here too, not all Gibsons are of this type and a few other guitars are also of this type. Here, the six small holes as in Fender type guitars are present too, but on the top of the guitar on the bridge facing the bottom of the guitar. A picture will show you this.

The processes to change the strings in both these type is pretty much the same.

STEP 1

Loosen the tuning pegs and remove the strings from the pegs. Then push the string into the bridge for Fender types, and towards the bottom of the guitar for Gibson types. This is to get the ball end of the string out of the bridge.

STEP 2

When inserting the string, put the non-ball end through the respective small hole in the bridge and pull on it once or twice to make sure the ball end is firmly secured in the bridge and while maintaining that pressure, put the string through the hole in the tuning peg (remember to line the hole in the tuning peg with the groove in the nut for ease). After estimating roughly 2 to 4 windings, bend the string from the remaining OUTER end of the string near the tuning peg.

STEP 3

Then you got to tune it! MAKE SURE TO TURN THE TUNING PEGS ANTI-CLOCKWISE SO THAT THEY LINE-UP PROPERLY WITH IT’S RELEVANT GROOVE IN THE NUT.

STEP 4

MAKE SURE to pull on each string (directly off the fret board to avoid damaging the nut) so that the tune drops and then tune it back. You have to do this several times till the tune stays the same even after pulling. Otherwise your guitar will fail to stay in tune in future. Step 4 is important!!

Well that’s pretty much it. Simple right? I’m going to put another post on here soon about stringing acoustic guitars and a few other electric guitar types with rather DIFFERENT bridges. Hope you enjoyed this. Leave a +1 and share if you did. It helps me out a lot. I got to thank all you guys out there for the nice comments and support thrown my way. It keeps me motivated to keep putting up new posts. I wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t for you great guys who are now good friends too.

Cheers,

Visal J

Guitar Fun Fact of the Day!

Les Paul had a car accident in 1948 and asked the doctor to set his arm permanently in a guitar-playing position.